[PRP] Not The Best [Xiang/Hewa]

[ShinosBee]

So many cubs...Hewa had to get away from them all. Even though most were juveniles now, or older, he still felt overrun. How long had it been since he'd been one of them? It seemed ages past and yet only yesterday...At least they were starting to get older now and more mature. Mostly. He still hadn't met them all (just when had Iartuupe and Verge found time to spawn so many?) but he had about given up hope. The pride was growing, and soon enough there'd be too many to count, let alone name them all.

Today he'd gone out to hunt, and had taken down a gazelle with decent ease. He'd rank of it, and begun to eat, laying beside it and chewing absently. This far out it was quiet. A nice change even if it was lonely.  

[Kittyintheraiyn]

This far out it was peaceful, no one picking or prodding at him, questioning his rank or his status. No brothers to dodge, or elders to answer too, Xiang used this time to just speak to himself, his mother did that all the time at the pools, but she heard someone speaking back, didn't she? Their gods or her own demon, whatever it was that gave her the visions... Xiang's own thoughts were quiet, except for his own voice answering back, and it wasn't very strong. He was a demon too! Just as the rest of them, just as his brothers and his mother and the rest of the pride!

The youth gave a growl of frustration as he limped along, he'd lost in a tussle with another juvie and received a long scratch along his forearm for his troubles, it didn't so much hurt as it did burn, the torn skin, but he bore the discomfort, hissing only slightly when he'd stopped to clean it because it was bleeding again.

When it finally stopped again, Xi continued on, sweeping the land with his golden gaze, the smell of his own blood was thick on his tongue but the scent of something else's blood was also on the wind, prey-beast or was there a fight? Xiang couldn't yet tell, but then he spotted, there off a ways a large black and red male, probably one of the pride, and something that something else, ah, a prey-beast after all... He had not once met anyone in these lands that was not one of the pride, even out here, not once before, so he assumed it was safe to stick around, if he didn't venture too close, elders of this pride, in those colors, he was bound to be questioned.

Maybe I could turn and leave, Xiang hesitated, but he probably already knows I'm here... it would be better to at least face him. He continued forward, not walking directly up to the elder male, but not turning to hide himself either.  

[ShinosBee]

Hewa had been quite distracted by his meal, and really hadn't noticed the juvenile at first. It was the smell that got him, really. Lion blood had a different tang than gazelle blood, and after so long fighting his way through ranks in the demon pride he was tuned to scent the blood of his fellows above all.

At first thinking it was Kasdeya, come to berate him for not helping her, Hewa looked around with a glare. Once his eyes found the little tan and orange juvenile though his expression softened. A sigh. "Cubs everywhere." It was the truth, he'd seen. Even this far out where he should have been able to be alone, they popped out of the grass like flowers.

He offered a bland nod to the young lion, still moderately trying to maintain that he was 'alone'...Alas, no good, he couldn't ignore the cub too long. "Here," He said simply, tearing a shank of the gazelle from the body and tossing it towards the juvenile. At least if they were both busy chewing they wouldn't feel the immediate need to talk.  

[Kittyintheraiyn]

Xiang stiffened at the glare he received from the elder male when he at last caught sight of the youth, he silently berated himself, he knew the look, should be used to it by now but the expression changed. The golden male ducked his head in response to the nod, but blinked when the shank was tossed his way. What was this, some sort of test?

Xi eyed the offered meat, the smell and the red glisten of it made his mouth immediately water and the blood slowly oozed towards the dirt from the fresh tear. He stepped towards it and lowered his head, licking at the raw meat, swallowing the blood that quickly washed his mouth with its flavor, then he raised his head to the other, "I won't owe you anything... If I accept this?" Even though he has drank a little from it, he was still slightly wary.  

[ShinosBee]

Hewa glanced at the juve and shook his head faintly. "Not by my understanding. I couldn't eat it all anyway. Well I could, but I'm not in the mood. Just eat, get strong, and one day when I'm old bring me a nice zebra or something, yes?" He half-joked. He returned to his eating for a bit, slightly paler maw staining with the mess. "Why don't you join me? I can't be 'alone' now, so there's no point avoiding eachother."

He noted then the gash on the cub. "Been fighting?" Had he fought that much when he was that small? Had he ever been that small? A glance at his side offered an old reminder of his first day in the Aikanaro. That scar wasn't the only one he had from Kasdeya now, not by far, but it had been his first. "You'd best wash that. Scars and good and well, but if it gets infected you'll be good and dead."  

[Kittyintheraiyn]

Xiang nodded and picked up the shank in his teeth, carrying it closer to the elder male so that when they spoke, they need not shout. "I will." He agreed with a serious tone and lay down to eat a bit of the meat. "It's peaceful to be alone sometimes, more so than when-" He stops short. "Not that, well..." He backs his ears, unable to speak his mind freely, he let the subject change for the moment.

Xi glanced over the impressive display of Hewa's scars, before nodding, "I have to defend myself. I'll keep it clean. Sometimes, when I visit mother I dip the scratches and bites I get into the hot water springs, that helps em." The youth had a collection of his own, mostly from other cubs so they were not as deep or impressive as the elders were, but they criss-crossed his limbs and sides.  

[ShinosBee]

Hewa nodded, and used the motion to pull and tear another piece of meat free. He chewed passively a few moments. "Time to think is important, yeah. The hot springs eh? That'd make you one of Abeni's right?" Hewa had a soft spot for the black lioness. Only days ago he'd gone to her, eager to talk and listen. He'd needed reassurance, and gotten it. "Your mother's a grand priestess. She's quite helpful."

He'd noticed how pale the cub was. Usually that'd mean he was a rather weak deomn, but after meeting Haramu he knew better than to judge on colors alone when it came to those who were already in the pride. "So, I'm Mahewa. A neumar, though I've not gone out 'hunting' yet." He probably should have introduced himself before, but no matter. "And which of Abeni's are you?"  

[Kittyintheraiyn]

"Yes," He sat up, leaving the meal be for the moment. He licked the blood from his pale chin, "She's always very busy, because she is so skilled and important to the pride." Xiang's chest puffed just a little bit when he spoke about his mother. "She named me Xiang."

"Neumar? Mahewa..." Upon hearing the title, Xi became a little bit withdrawn, he'd not had the best of encounters with those that worship Morifaer, but so far the elder had treated him well enough, maybe it was because he respected his mother so.  

[ShinosBee]

"It must be hard. Being away from your parent can be a heavy burden, but you seem to bear it well," Hewa noted. Of course, Xiang wasn't too very far from his mother. Not like he'd been. Come to think of it, he wondered where his mother was. Sure not with the Firekin anymore..."Xiang. An interesting name." It tasted almost metallic in his mouth (though that may have been the blood from the kill) but he found he liked it.

Hewa nodded at the repetition of his name and title. "As a cub, and then a juvenile, I lived my life wandering, with only the shadow of my sister, Bele, who is the pride's crafter now, following miles behind. For a while I was content to stay here, but my feet itch to move again. That's why. I'd like to see what parts of the world I couldn't see before." And visit his family once more, though he couldn't say that. It seemed to gentle a thought, not something a demon would want to do. "And you? Have you begun to train yet?"  

[Kittyintheraiyn]

Xiang tilted his head at Hewa, listening respectfully, it seemed the elder did not think him a slave right off, and that eased his mind, if confused Xi, a little.

"Better than -well-, I'm in charge of myself, I am no ones slave, and I'm not burdened by being away from her. I'm not a burden to her either! I can hunt for myself, even if I can't take down large prey alone, I will and soon!" He swatted at the leg shank that he had been gifted, so far he had only eaten little of it, he still wanted to finish it, but he didn't want Hewa to think that he'd needed the meal so badly or anything. "It means 'to soar'-" A flame danced in Xi's gold colored eyes as he looked up from his ranting and into Hewa's- he paused when he realized they matched his own, he stopped to listen again.

Understanding brought a happy expression to his maw, but he didn't out right smile, not in front of someone he didn't know well, Xiang's smile was a very rare thing, much like a pale demon.

"Not yet," he admitted a tad reluctantly, he was getting close to that age, "but I have begun to learn our ranks and our ways-" A pause here as he thought, 'all my life so far'. "I don't know that I'll find a mentor, even for Sparda's ranks, as I am... but I won't be a slave! I want to be a Defender, I want to be a Knight!" Again, little Xi caught himself in his out-bursts, he pawed at the ground, self conscious, before looking up again  

[ShinosBee]

Hewa chuckled. Xi was obviously proud of himself. "I'm sure. Just be careful, demon or no, you shouldn't overestimate yourself. I heard of a cub recently that nearly got trampled." A shame, really. One of the downsides of living in a pride where the young were taught they could be os powerful was the risk those cubs often put themselves in. Still, it was survival of the fittest, and even if he didn't like it Hewa had to admit that a cub that was stupid enough to try something so foolish, or weak enough to be unable to get away, might be better off in another pride. Better they suffer young and grow wiser, he supposed.

"Ah you want to follow Sparda? I've never met him myself, but he sounds...kinder of the two. Morifaer isn't that bad though, if you find him in a good mood." he thought back to the time he'd met the god. He'd been terrified, but the demon god had done nothing but reassure him.

"And who said you'd be a slave? You have a demon, right? Then there's no reason you should be a slave." He tried to calm the cub, eventually simply eating a bit more. He certainly wasn't planning on making the boy a slave. "A knight? That sounds good...I suppose if I weren't a Neumar I'd consider something like that. You'll find a mentor, I'm sure."  

[Kittyintheraiyn]

Shaken a little at Hewa's warning, Xi continued to paw at the ground, feeling that odd mix of anger and concern that he felt for his kin begin to bubble up, that had to be Hiam that Hewa spoke of, his eyes went distant as he remembered the events of that evening. If Hiam's plan had been just a little different it could have been himself that was nearly trampled, he didn't like to think on it, he didn't like to think that if it had been himself, would he have survived...

"Hiam," he spoke the name softly to confirm that he knew, and sat with his tail curling around his toes in a self conscious manner, listening further, before speaking again.

"Hiam, my brother, though hes not the only that says so, I'm sure more than half the pride think it, I didn't get all these scars on accident, I got 'em defending myself, and learning each time, learning how to fight." Xiang was not so easily reassured, but he found that he did believe Mahewa and that was something new, that trusting feeling, he ate a bit more, then settling on his stomach with the meat bone between his paws, he questioned the other a little more, thoughts and ideas picked at his brain, like scavenger birds at old bones.

"I was told that Morifear wouldn't even have me, 'sides, I think, I think I believe more what they say about Sparda... I haven't met either one of em... You've met the god of demons?" A bit of awe or wonder colored his soft tone, Xiang knew that the gods sometimes met with mortals, well at least he had been told such, his own grandmother was the goddess of fire. Xiang liked to believe in her first and foremost, though he kept that to himself as well.

Having calmed more so now, Xi was less snappy and he thought he should apologize, he shook his head. "Thank you, that you'd even say you'd consider it... Its more than I'd expect from a Morifear follower, 'm sorry..." It was easier to just think you knew everything than to actually get to know someone and find out for sure, but that was a childish way of thinking, something he'd have to lose as he grew up.  

[ShinosBee]

That must be hard, your own brother telling you that you were fit to be a slave. He tried to imagine how he'd feel if his Bele had told him so, and honestly meant it. He couldn't fathom it. "I suppose then that you'll just have to show them, right? I imagine the lions that gave you those scars are more sure of what you are now, right?" Even if the cub had to fight them all, sooner or later he'd have proven himself, right?

"I'm sure Morifaer would have you, if you wanted him too. He seems kindly enough to his followers most of the time. I haven't met Sparda, but from his laws and teachings I'd say I'd like him more, were we ever to talk. If you're already learning to fight I suppose one day Morifaer might wish you liked him, rather than Sparda. You should make a fine knight, I think..."

He ignored the comment about Xi thinking of him firstly as a Morifaer follower, and secondly as himself. "What do you think of the slaves we do have, hmm? Seeing as you're not one, what do you think makes a slave? Do you think they deserve to be treated how most treat them?"  

[Kittyintheraiyn]

"Show them, show him, though I'm not sure how, with each fight I lose, they still look down on me, and if I won...?" His voice went a little high, "I don't think that he'd even admit it." He dropped his head, admitting he lost more often than not, even at this young age, was very hard, but it wasn't like he learned -nothing- in losing.

Xi swiveled his ears back, but still listened to what Hewa said, he tried to believe, had no real reason not to, but found he thought that perhaps Hewa was just trying to be nice. Were demons ever nice, sharing, did they take the time to talk with him... This was eye opening, and strange. "Thank you Mahewa..." Xi was still thinking over this notion when Hewa set these questions on him. He knew right away what he thought, but what caused him to falter was the decision to speak freely or not, pride beliefs be damned.

"..."

"If they don't fight against it, they deserve it!" He spat out, Xi had not once met a slave of the pride, he stayed far from where they lived and worked, he had seen one, once, perhaps, but he maintained that if he searched them out or became to familiar with him, that would give others all the more excuse to group him with them. "Why should we even keep slaves, aren't we strong enough that we don't need someone weaker than us to do anything for us? I think they should leave, fight, or die trying, why would they just stay and accept it..."  

[ShinosBee]

Hewa didn't say anything as the juve ranted. Best just let him rub that course to the end on his own. Xi was right in his thinking, there was to learn from losing. Of course what really mattered was that the boy himself have faith in his demon and his beliefs. He nodded at the boy's thanks and stretched a bit.

"Do what you want. Don't let anyone stop you. Your demon knows you best, and no one can say against what you feel inside." My, he sounded rather mushy today, but then why not? He wasn't a born demon, after all. And the boy seemed he needed reassurance.

A smile cracked his maw at Xi's declaration. "We are strong enough to do without them. Maybe we should be rid of them, and do for ourselves. But some of them don't know any better. Those born to the life are not used to hunting, to doing for themselves for a change...When all you've done is take orders forever, and suddenly no one's giving them, who do you listen to, hmm?" Perhaps he was playing devil's advocate, switching sides freely, but it would give the cub some to think on.